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Meeting Details
Date: Thursday 14 April 2022
Time: 10:00 – 12:00
Venue: Microsoft Teams Meeting
Agenda Item 1: Welcome and Introduction
1.1 Welcome and introductions made. Communication prompts posted to the Teams Chat window, and their use explained. No reasonable adjustments were requested. Members reported no declaration of interest.
Agenda Item 2: Minutes of previous meeting 14 February 2022 and matters arising not on the agenda.
2.1 Agreed: Minutes of previous meeting accepted as true record of the meeting. Will be added to the NAP Webpages.
2.2 Actions from the Meeting held 14/02/22
2.2.1 Item 3.1: Ongoing
2.2.2 Item 3.2: Ongoing.
2.2.3 Item 4.1: Ongoing.
2.2.4 Item 5.3: Ongoing. Members asked to continue sending membership applicants to autism@norfolk.gov.uk
2.2.5 Item 6.2: Complete, presentation part of this meeting.
Agenda Item 3: Working Group Highlight Reports
3.1 Diagnosis Working Group co-chair reports that the group has contributed to a “wellbeing script” used to wellbeing checks for people on Autism Service Norfolk waiting list; members are receiving updates on adult autism diagnostic waiting times, expansion of clinical resources within the service and steps to address waiting times; Members continue to work on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) definitions; and has reached out to the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust to provide information on the Recovery College’s new Autism Course. Group continues to seek autistic people or parent/carer members, but existing members believe the group is informative, worthwhile, and providing useful information.
3.2 Engagement Working Group lead reports that independent website continues to be successful, with 1,130 views, 13 visits to the eLearning page and many new signups. Third of current series of Autism Norfolk Forums (ANF) on Employment held on 28/03/22; based on feedback, the next ANF will be themed around Housing and be held on 23/06/22. See below for more details. Autism Awareness Week 2022 was talked about. An Adult Social Event on 28/04/22 at the Shoebox Community Hub has been planned.
3.3 Workforce Development Working Group lead reports that the group plans to develop a pre- and post-training quiz for the Understanding Autism Course, to help trainers check that delegates are focusing and processing the content while the content is delivered online. More online courses will be offered to Norfolk County Council employees between June 2022 and March 2023, and course is now mandatory on the new Learning Platform.
3.4 Employment Working Group lead reports that the group is focussing on four major objectives: setting up a list of Autism Employment Resources; finding a major employer to work with as an Autism Employment Champion; preparing to attend a Nansa Neurodiversity Conference; and raising awareness of difference between autism and learning disabilities, with specific reference to employment issues. The group would benefit from more members who are autistic and/or members of organisations.
Agenda Item 4 : Autism Norfolk Forum Update – 28/03/22,
Employment with Lee Gibbons
4.1 Lee Gibbons summarised details of the latest ANF. The Forums provide an engagement opportunity for people who are not necessarily part of the Partnership but who are interested in its work and in the wider “community”. Each ANF has a specific theme suggested by attendees. This ANF was themed on Employment. It was held online and attended by 10 members of the public as well as representatives of the NCC Employment Team and the Chances Project.
It became clear that attendees, particularly parents, did not know about employment, benefits and other useful information. Suggestion made to add a section in annual Education, Health and Care Plan reviews for specific information on opportunities, accessing benefits, supporting applications, etc., ahead of support ending at 18. NCC staff are already working on this, and there are likely to be changes based on a new Green Paper. This could lead to a national template coming soon.
Matthew Mallett from NCC Commissioning and representatives from Shelter have been invited to speak at the next ANF. The Forum will be held online via Zoom and registration is already open.
It has not yet been decided if future ANF meetings will be held in-person in future, as organisers have been following infection control guidance and attendance seems to be better online. The audience may need to be asked if face-to-dace meetings should be arranged. The first of this series of Forums was held in a hybrid in-person/online style, so this is something which could be trialled again.
Agenda Item 5 : National Strategy for Autism 2021-2026 with
Trevor Key
5.1 Following request at last Board meeting, Trevor Key outlined the key points of the Strategy and areas of special interest, including coronavirus rules, children, young people and families, employment, health and care, and the justice system. A copy of the Easy Read version of the Strategy was sent with invitations to this meeting
5.2 ACTION: The Norfolk Area SEND strategy covers many similar areas to Strategy. Maxine Blocksidge will make sure that local SEND strategy matches
Agenda Item 6 : Board Format with Tom Bassett
6.1 Tom Bassett introduced discussions on the current format of the Board as well as progress on the specification and procurement.
6.2 Following discussion around the length of meetings and the increasing number of items on the agenda as the procurement exercise continues, the Board agreed that meetings should be held more frequently, ideally every two months.
6.3 Board will be moving towards independence. Tom has written a specification with help of a Working Group, and it has now been approved by Procurement at Norfolk County Council and Board co-chairs Trevor and Adrian.
Current timeline as follows:
-October – Provider takes over officially.
-March to June – bidding and tender
-May – Bidder’s event
-July – Bids are read, interviews arranged, and provider chosen.
-August – cooling off period if selected person or organisation wishes to back out
-September – provider starts organising themselves, training handover work at our end.
The Partnership co-chairs will be specifically involved in bidder’s event and Moderation. It is expected that more work will be needed in June and July, so plans will be made this point.
6.4 ACTION: Coordinator to arrange bimonthly meeting schedules and present to co-chairs for approval.
Agenda Item 7 : Any Other Business and Wellbeing Check
6.1 Rachel Gates explained about an upcoming Building the Right Support Peer Review. The Board agreed to be involved in this. Rachel Gates to contact autism@norfolk.gov.uk to arrange this.
6.2 Lee Gibbons will write to Diagnosis Working Group for ask for more information about issues with Sensory Needs Assessment following diagnosis from OWL.
6.3 Following discussion around funding for mental health and autism, Board agrees in principle to Chairs contacting Clinical Care Commissioning Group and Norfolk County Council.
6.4 Folk East would like to be more involved with the Partnership, especially with an upcoming festival.
6.5 There is still limited involvement from Children’s services. Following discussion, Board asks that Tom Bassett escalate further.
6.6 Dr Maria Karetti, a GP with links to other primary care providers, would like to attend Board meetings. Board agrees, coordinator to facilitate.
6.7 Board agrees to use of Partnership logo on Pathological Demand Avoidance statement.
6.8 Advert for a Mental Health and Autism Specialist nurse has gone live today
6.9 Wellbeing check performed via email survey.
Date, time and location of next meeting
As discussed above, coordinator to rearrange the next meetings to a new
schedule.